Looking to the Future
by WriteFF13
Summary: Vanille knows what it's like to be a Pulse l'Cie; there is no bright side to it, but Hope disagrees. After all, they came together to defy the gods, and no matter what, Vanille vows, she will fight by their side and save humanity...or die trying. A Pulsian Chronicle.


**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I finally decided to go back to my Pulsian Chronicles ! This is Vanille's Pulsian Chronicle, light, happy, and maybe a little sad, but nothing tear-jerking. After all, this _is _Vanille's Pulsian Chronicle.

Listen to "Vanille's Theme" from the FINAL FANTASY XIII Original Soundtrack for full effect! YouTube-"final fantasy xiii vanille's theme"-first thing-you're done!

Write on,

**WriteFF13**

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**.:LOOKING TO THE FUTURE:. **

_Chapter 1 of 1 – Yesterday's Memories, Tomorrow's Future_

Vanille rubbed the petal of a strange vibrant orange flower between her fingers, breathing in its pleasant smell. She then plucked the flower at the stem and twirled it around her fingers, tying the sturdy stem into a knot so that she adorned a nature-y ring. She straightened and plopped down next to Hope, who was laying back and soaking in the sun and taking in the sights of Yaschas Massif.

It was a beautiful day on Gran Pulse: not a cloud in the blue sky, a light breeze blowing through the canyon, and not a monster in sight…well, so far, anyways. But Vanille was all too happy to be able to forget about their present situation of being ticking-time-bomb-l'Cie to enjoy this brief respite while they still had the chance. Up on the hill near a fallen tree were Sazh, Lightning, and Snow, who were chatting and laughing loudly.

_Even Lightning_, Vanille thought. _Times have definitely changed!_

Of course, Fang was appalled that all they wanted to do was bask in the sun, so she had set off across Yaschas Massif in search of who-knows-what to test her skills, announcing obnoxiously that "Oerba Yun Fang the Conquer" had arrived to kill them all in the monster-infested lower part of the canyon, near the city of Paddra. Vanille wasn't worried. Fang knew the territory better than anyone.

And Hope was resting besides her as she thought in silence. He was playing with the yellow cloth tied around his glove and gazing out on the canyon, smiling slightly. Vanille didn't think she had ever seen him so happy.

"Pretty amazing, huh?" she remarked holding her face in her palms as she leaned her elbows on her knees.

Hope nodded. "It's so much different than what the people on Cocoon always thought. They had always said how ugly and dangerous it was on the lowerworld…but when you look at it from Pulse…it's so much more different…it's breathtaking…"

He glanced over to find her smiling at him.

"What?" he said, laughing.

"I dunno," she laughed and watched a dragon-like creature swoop over their heads. "Remember when we were on Cocoon, in the Vestige, Hope? You said Pulse was hell, but look at us now!"

"Yeah, I do. But so much has changed."

"Yeah…"

"I mean, look at Light!" Hope said, gesturing over his shoulder at the usually stoic soldier, who sitting with Snow and Sazh as they told jokes and stories. She was laughing, and although she would never admit it herself, she was smiling along with them. "She's a lot lighter and happier now, we all are. In a way, this whole l'Cie thing has changed us for the better, besides us being crystallized or turned into Cie'th, hasn't it?"

Vanille's smile vanished in an instant.

Being branded a Pulse l'Cie didn't _have _a good side to it. There was only death and betrayal. Just like how she betrayed all of Cocoon those many, many years ago when she and Fang had nearly transformed into Ragnarok and smashed Cocoon out of the sky. No good at all came from being a l'Cie.

Her head dipped down, and the happiness and lightness from a few minutes ago was gone.

"You're wrong."

Hope cocked an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"There's nothing worse than being a l'Cie, Hope. I would know; I've gone through it twice now!" her voice reached an octave higher.

Hope turned towards her, concerned. "There's always a good side of things. Come on, Vanille! You're always looking on the brighter side, right? Like how I met all of you. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Without you, without Light and Snow…I wouldn't be here right now. I would have died in the Purge…

"But then Lightning stopped the Purge right then and there, and I didn't die. My mother did, yes," Hope's voice became choked, then cleared again, "but I met the rest of you and reunited with my father after all this time. So there _is _a good side of this, Vanille."

The tall grass tickled her legs and she swatted it away, gazing at the environment, lost in her emotions.

Hope grabbed her hand and shook it, jolting her out of her reverie. "I mean, you are glad you met us, right?" he said, smiling.

Looking at Hope's smile then…it brought her hope for the future, and determination to stick it through, no matter what had happened and what _would _happen. She realized that it didn't matter what their Focus was…all that mattered was that she was with her friends, and they were on a mission to defy the gods…to save Cocoon _and _Pulse. If Lightning, Sazh, Snow, Hope, and Fang were going to fight until the end to save humanity, then she would to, or die trying.

She clenched her fists and lifted her head to the sky, a look of peace on her face. She squeezed his hand.

"Thank you…Hope."

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**2****nd**** AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Just a short little one-shot for Vanille's Pulsian Chronicle, but it's supposed to be short. I said it wasn't going to be a tear-jerker, and obviously it wasn't! Just a reflection on Vanille's side of the story, dark and bright.

-**WriteFF13**


End file.
